


This Time Around

by egret



Category: Actor RPF, Joaquin Phoenix/Mark Wahlberg RPF
Genre: M/M, Oscars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-11
Updated: 2012-08-11
Packaged: 2017-11-11 21:56:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/483302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/egret/pseuds/egret
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Joaquin Phoenix does not win an Oscar.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This Time Around

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written in 2006, when Joaquin Phoenix almost won an Oscar for Walk the Line. He did look at the camera and say "I love you - - - " to someone, but my lipreading skills could not make it out. Hence this fic. We Own The Night was being made at the time.

_Sunday afternoon_   
  
Mark leaned across the hotel bed and bent his head for another kiss. Joaquin was so keyed up he was shaking. Mark wished all that excitement was for him, but figured it was probably more about the Oscars. He nibbled his way down to Joaquin's collarbone, careful not to leave marks that would show in a tuxedo. Joaquin shifted and murmured, "What time is it?"   
"We got time. You don't gotta leave yet."   
"My mother's coming here first."   
Mark sat up. "Why?"   
"She's my date."   
Mark sighed. "Call her and tell her you'll pick her up."   
"I'm not going over the schedule with her again. It is what it is." Joaquin propped himself up on an elbow and reached up to pet Mark's face gently with soft fingertips. His calluses from guitar playing were fading away now that the movie was over. "I'll be back later," he said.   
"No you won't. You'll be at the parties."   
"Only for a little while. Then I'll take my mother back to her hotel, and then I'll come here. Midnight, two at the latest." Mark didn't say anything. "Meet me at the afterparty, then," Joaquin offered.   
"No. I don't wanna get into all that."   
"What? We'll promote this one."   
"No. Bullshit."   
"Well, go out or something, and I'll see you tomorrow night?"   
"I don't wanna go out."   
"Well, what do you want?" Joaquin sat up straight. His voice, normally so mellow, sounded a tiny bit impatient, his restless mind already moving on to the next part of the evening.   
"I want you to stay here."   
"Well, that's not happening today. And I should get ready." Joaquin leaned over and perfunctorily kissed Mark's mouth, then climbed out of the bed and headed for the bathroom. "Don't answer my phone."   
Mark frowned. "Oooh, secretive."   
Joaquin spun around. "Right. And you know why, and you know how this works, and that you benefit just as much, so cut the bullshit guilt trip." They stared at each other for a long moment.   
Mark said, "Maybe I should head back to my room, go over my lines."   
Joaquin shrugged. "Maybe, yeah."   
Mark stood up. "OK, man. Break a leg."   
Joaquin smiled. "Watch me."   
"All that industry bullshit?"   
"Jake'll be there, all dressed up pretty," Joaquin teased. Mark smiled. Joaquin smiled back. "I'll talk to him at the party and then I can introduce ya."   
Mark stepped closer and put an arm around the other actor's waist. "I don't need to meet no one else. I got an award winner right here."   
Joaquin hugged him tightly. "Don't jinx me. Go on, now, go, before my mom gets here."   
Mark let him go reluctantly. "Alright, baby. I'll watch ya." He made a gooey face. "Wave at me, booboo."   
Joaquin smiled and his smile lit up the room like a movie star's. Because that's what he is, Mark thought, so much more than I'll ever be. "You watch me, woobie," Joaquin crooned. Mark felt better then, the pet name so reassuring. He worried sometimes that his feelings were stronger than they ought to be for something like this. The phone rang, and Joaquin headed for it, making waving away motions with one hand while sliding out of his shirt. "Hello? Mommy! I'm just gettin' in the shower, I know, I'm dawdlin'. Come on up." He flapped his hand harder at Mark. Mark caught his hand and squeezed it hard, then headed out.   
  
  
_Sunday evening_   
  
Mark almost missed it in the noise. Donnie's Oscar-watching party had devolved into a titty-watching party and a bunch of loud drunks jammed into a too-small VIP room at a would-be hotspot. Most of the good places were booked way in advance for Oscar night apparently. Mark was surprised that so many LA people would admit to not attending. It was hard to keep track of the ceremony with the TV's sound drowned out; every time he looked it was a gay cowboy. But when he saw that fat guy from  _Boogie Nights_  he realized it had to be the Best Actor category and moved closer to the big screen TV.    
  
There was Joaquin! They panned over him quick. He looked tense, and his mother looked weepy. There was a commercial, advertising some new show where the big prize is medical care. Buncha prima donna doctors. The Oscars came back, and they were showing clips of the actors.  _Walk the Line_ ! Mark crossed his fingers. His brother's arm landed heavily on his shoulder. Mark kept watching. He didn't want to miss it. Not that there was going to be anything to miss, because they'd just been kidding. They both knew they were only kidding. He still wanted Joaquin to win though, so he may as well watch carefully. He swigged from his beer. Joaquin looked past his mother, directly at the camera, and mouthed, "I love you woobiebear."   
  
Donnie jumped away as Mark's glass slipped to the floor, splashing over their pant legs, rolling under the table, beer soaking into the dark carpet. Mark coughed against his misswallowed beer. His head felt filled with delight, and he couldn't cough right because he was grinning too hard. Donnie was frowning and yelling something. "What?"   
"He lost! Your friend lost!"   
"Huh?"   
"That Philip Seymour Whatever guy won!"   
Mark bit his lip to stop smiling. That sucked. Joaquin should have won. Mark still couldn't stop smiling. The cameras were showing other people now, not lingering on the losers. "Yeah, well, that's bullshit, whatever, they were all good, I guess. I gotta take a leak and get another beer."   
"Fuckin' endless cycle."   
Mark headed for the men's room, wondering if Donnie was talking about fame or beer. In the men's room, he locked himself in a stall and flipped open his cell phone. Squinting, he tapped out, "I love you booboo" and pressed send. Then he called a florist and had a huge bouquet sent to Joaquin's hotel room. He'd go by there tomorrow afternoon and see how he was, tell him he'd get another chance with this movie, or the next one. He mentally counted the weeks of shooting left on this project. Last time they'd stopped seeing each other after the wrap party. There hadn't been a scene or anything; Joaquin had just seemed to take it for granted that it was a work thing. Mark hoped this time was different. Last time there hadn't been pet names. 


End file.
